Test the tattoo waters with inkbox's two-week tats

CONCEPT is an innovative new retail space that offers boutique brands an anchor position at Yorkdale Shopping Centre. Featuring some of Toronto’s best homegrown design talent, shoppers can discover emerging retailers in an exciting pop-up environment.

inkbox

Where did the idea for inkbox come from?

A few years ago my brother and I were thinking of getting tattoos, but they were the type of designs we knew we'd regret in 10-15 years (they were super on-trend). So instead we started playing around with temporary tattoos, only to realize that they just don't cut it for an adult. They don't look real, only last a few days, and flake away in a nasty way. We started looking for another option – one that would give us the look and feel of a real tattoo without the commitment. We couldn't find anything, so we decided to create it ourselves.

How would you describe inkbox to new potential customers?

inkbox is a completely new form of body art. It's applied in 15 minutes like a temporary tattoo, but looks and feels identical to a traditional tattoo. It develops in the skin like a polaroid in 24 hours and lasts around two weeks.

What is your dream for inkbox?

To make temporary body art as cool and as ubiquitous as traditional tattoos, and in the process provide people around the world with tools for creative self expression, skin deep.

What is the most popular item or service you're offering customers right now?

Our most popular design is a simple one – a world map. It's an easy design to wear. I mean, who hates the world right? Plus our fans have a very global perspective.

What challenges do local retailers have when it comes to accessing retail space

Straight up: it's expensive. It's much cheaper for a young local brand to scale their business through e-commerce.

How will participating in the CONCEPT space for pop-ups improve your efforts to find new customers?

Being in CONCEPT will expose us to new customer segments that we don't typically target online. It will also bring out all of our local social media fans who still feel uncomfortable shopping online.